Feasibility of a citizen-driven hackathon to increase public engagement and solutions to address the opioid crisis
Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Interdisciplinary approaches are needed to address complex societal problems, such as the opioid crisis. We sought to explore the feasibility and potential issues encountered in planning and implementing a 24-hour hackathon competition to bring together teams from law enforcement, public health, and data science to develop solutions to the opioid epidemic. Methods: We enlisted an advisory board and planning committee, including key stakeholders (e.g., high-level representatives from government agencies) to plan the event. Teams completed an online registration form with questions about team composition. Each team captain completed a survey at the event describing prior experiences with their team, knowledge and interest around the opioid epidemic, and hackathon expectations. Results: Twenty-nine teams (108 individuals) registered. 76% had a technical/engineering background. Participants were from industry (55%), academia (30%), public health/medicine (9%), and government/public policy (6%). Nineteen teams attended the event. Team captains were primarily 18-29 years of age, had moderate experience and interest in the opioid crisis, and had never attended an opioid-related event. Conclusions: It is feasible to implement a 24-hour opioid-focused hackathon and recruit teams/participants from a broad range of disciplines. We discuss the solutions developed, barriers encountered, and insights gained throughout the planning and implementation process.
Source: Journal of Substance Use
Authors: Stephanie Soliz, Sean D. Young
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: HOPE Social Media Intervention for HIV Testing and Studying Social Networks, Adapting the HOPE Online Support Intervention to Increase MAT Uptake Among OUD Patients, Mining real-time social media big data to monitor HIV: Development and Ethical Issues, Digital Device ID Targeting for Increasing Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: A Feasibility and Acceptability Study, Adapting the HOPE Online Support Intervention to Increase MAT Uptake Among OUD Patients, Adapting the HOPE social media intervention to reduce prescription drug abuse
OpenAlex ID: W3021650442